Magazine Street continues to be the wellspring of new kinds of restaurants, a function it has performed since Katrina. Now it has two restaurants with a Caribbean-Latin American menu--something hard to imagine would catch on five years ago. But catch on it has. And despite the departure Mayas makes from the local cuisine, its dining room is populated by a sophisticated crowd that crosses many age groups. Restaurants like this make me think that the next era in local dining will be mostly about ethnic eats.
The corner of the world formed by the intersection of Central and South America has a unique cuisine, and Mayas explores it well. The menu's clear reference to Mexican cooking is misleading. In fact, the Mexican dishes are in the minority here, with the food of Panama, Columbia, and the Caribbean forming the better part of the menu. Dishes from Brazil and other parts of South America appear, usually as specials.
Mayas opened in 2007, a partnership between U.S. Army Iraq veteran Trinity Cazzola and Chef Edgar Irias. At the time, new styles of Hispanic cooking seemed to be on the verge of taking off, and that's where they went.
It's a strikingly handsome dining room in a part of Magazine Street known more for its well-worn antique charm than its elegance. But these are historic, interesting buildings with high ceilings, and Mayas makes the most of theirs, with unique Caribbean-inspired furnishings and floor coverings. The service staff is attentive and knowledgeable. One oddity: it takes forever to get a cocktail, even though the menu and advertising calls the bar a specialty.
This is a good restaurant to order one dish per two people in almost every case. Not only does the food bulk large, but the flavors are so intense that some dishes don't wear well.
| Attitude | 1 |
|---|---|
| Environment | 2 |
| Hipness | 2 |
| Local Color | 2 |
| Service | 1 |
| Value | 0 |
| Wine | 0 |
